Regeneration
Regeneration is the biological process through which organisms restore, repair, or replace damaged or lost cells, tissues, or body parts, often resulting in the restoration of their form and function. Some kaiju are known to have a regenerative ability, which can make them almost indestructible when combined with their sheer durability.
Examples
- Godzilla: Godzilla has occasionally been depicted with the ability to regenerate, which varies in effectiveness and speed depending on the film. It is central to the plot of Godzilla vs. Biollante and Godzilla 2000: Millennium; in the latter, it was explained that Godzilla has a special substance in his cells that helps him regenerate tissue very quickly, called "Organizer G-1" (or "Regenerator G-1" in the U.S. version). Godzilla's regeneration was further enhanced as a side effect of his meltdown in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, as he received only external injuries from Destoroyah's laser horn even though it sliced completely through his body multiple times, though his regeneration was not enough to prevent him from suffering from the effects of his impending meltdown. In Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Singular Point, Godzilla regenerated from and evolved to counter human weaponry. In the GODZILLA anime trilogy, Godzilla Earth possesses very potent regeneration that allows him to heal damaged or destroyed organs along with other injuries in a matter of seconds, a trait which is passed to his cell-divided subspecies, Godzilla Filius; additionally, his regenerative properties allowed him to terraform the world over the course of 20,000 years with other life produced from his cells, including the Servum and multiple varieties of plants. In Godzilla Minus One, Godzilla's regeneration was near-instantaneous, but imperfect, as his face was scarred after regenerating from a mine detonating in his mouth.
- King Ghidorah: In Rebirth of Mothra 3, King Ghidorah was able to regenerate his entire body from a severed tail. It is suggested in supplementary materials that he could still regenerate from the tip of his wing that was sliced off by Armor Mothra in their final battle. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ghidorah regrew an entire head in seconds, and healed his wings during his final battle with Godzilla. He was unable to regenerate quickly enough, however, from being reduced to a disembodied head by Godzilla's incinerating nuclear pulses.
- Frankenstein: In Frankenstein vs. Baragon, Frankenstein regenerated his entire body from just his heart after it was irradiated during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II, granting it its remarkable regeneration ability. As an adult, his regeneration is powerful enough to grow back his hand near-instantly.
- Gaira and Sanda: In The War of the Gargantuas, both of the Gargantuas display heavily enhanced regeneration derived from their predecessor, Frankenstein, both growing from only a few surviving cells.
- Hedorah: Hedorah has the capacity to regenerate by dividing and recombining. This is displayed after Hedorah is dried out by the Giant Electrode, but his dried husk splits open and releases a fully-healed Hedorah. However, if all of Hedorah's body is dried out and no moisture is left behind, he will become unable to regenerate.
- Biollante: Since Godzilla's cells were used in Biollante's creation, she also possesses his ability to regenerate, and is said by Dr. Geinchiro Shiragami to be immortal. However, Biollante's regeneration takes time, and she had to retreat at the end of Godzilla vs. Biollante to recover and regenerate the crippling damage to her body from Godzilla's atomic breath.
- Destoroyah: Destoroyah can regenerate in an unusual fashion - by breaking down into a horde of his aggregate forms, Destoroyah can then reform into his complete form to regenerate and remove any injuries he is suffering from. However, this takes time, and gives opponents a chance to weaken him in the process.
- Mothra Leo: Despite being grievously wounded in his battles with King Ghidorah, leaving him on death's door and his wings shredded, Mothra Leo was completely healed and transformed into Armor Mothra when a group of Primitive Mothras sealed him inside a cocoon.
- Behemoth: Behemoth's tusks are capable of quickly regrowing after being snapped off. It is unknown if Behemoth can also regenerate his other body parts.
- Na Kika: Monarch has collected evidence of Na Kika being able to regenerate any part of its body.
- Orga: Orga gained Godzilla's regenerative ability by absorbing his cells, but was able to regenerate at an accelerated rate. Orga was able to regenerate his entire shoulder in a matter of seconds after Godzilla blasted it off with his atomic breath, though his regeneration is less refined than Godzilla's, and his shoulder cannon was not present after his shoulder regenerated.
- Grand Flasher: Although unable to heal himself, Grand Flasher is capable of reviving deceased kaiju, and eventually did so to form an army of regenerated monsters.
- Greenman: Because Greenman is a machine, he cannot regenerate damage that he receives on his own, but when the Green Calls are used, the devices emit a signal which prompts his body to repair itself. As seen in Greenman vs. Jilarji, Greenman is capable of regenerating and repairing damaged limbs by using the Leg Gain power of the Greenman Stick.
- Maoh: Much like Grand Flasher, Maoh is capable of reviving previously living monsters, notably Jairock.
- Gamera: In the Heisei series, Gamera has the ability to regenerate wounds that he sustains in battle. This regeneration is not instant, and Gamera must rest for a period of time in order to heal. Because of Gamera's bond with Asagi Kusanagi, which causes her to also develop any wounds that Gamera sustains, her wounds heal along with Gamera's. In GAMERA -Rebirth-, Gamera's regeneration is much faster and does not require Gamera to retreat for it to take effect, although it does not extend to severed limbs.
- Gyaos: In Gamera vs. Gyaos, Gyaos was able to regrow its foot, which it intentionally severed with its own sonic beam in order to escape from Gamera.
Gallery
Gyaos regenerates its toes after severing them
Godzilla's Organizer G-1, the source of his quick regeneration in Godzilla 2000: Millennium
Burning Godzilla's amplified regenerative capabilities displayed in his fight with Destoroyah - even though Destoroyah's laser horn slices through his entire body, he is left with only external wounds
Godzilla regenerating after being injured by a mine
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